An ambitious project is being held at the newly-refurbished complex of the Astra Theatre in Victoria during this month.
The project, entitled Identity of an Island – Gozo: Art between past and present, is a vehicle for the celebration of Gozo’s identity in a two-pronged, interlinked manner.
It consists of the organisation of a contemporary art collective which carries the title of Alternative Perspectives and an art-historical conference entitled The Artistic Legacy of Gozo which will take place on Saturday, from 9.30am to 1pm.
Gozo’s impressively rich artistic legacy will thus be joined by contemporary artistic practice. The event is being dedicated to Frank Portelli (1922-2004), pioneer of modern art in Malta who in the 1960s had designed the original Astra Theatre.
A number of relief sculptures which have survived are also being included as a tribute to Portelli.
The Contemporary Art Collective Alternative Perspectives proposes itself as a platform for a contemporary artistic dialogue.
Visual artists and creative practitioners will be engaging with the theme of Gozo in an unorthodox, innovative and unusual perspective, especially mindful of the issues and phenomena affecting Gozo’s contemporary identity, through the intense and captivating language of contemporary art – ranging from installation to video art, multi-media, digital art, painting, text, sculpture, fashion and ceramic.
One of the aims of the exhibition is to break the traditional mould of the representations of an idyllic and picturesque Gozo.
Artists participating in this project deal with issues like connectivity, insularity, immigration, overdevelopment, construction, the preservation of the urban fabric, the function of politics and religion and the role of the environment.
After a call for proposals, which was issued last year, 29 projects have been carefully selected by the artistic director. The works are placed in spaces across the theatre and its ancillary areas.
The art-historical conference brings together leading academics and past students of the University’s Department of Art and Art History. The conference will be convened by artistic director Mark Sagona, visual artist and resident academic member at the University’s Department of Art and Art History.
Sagona will be introduced by Keith Sciberras, professor and head of the Department of Art and Art History at the University. Seven speakers will discuss different aspects of the multi-faceted artistic heritage of Gozo with reference to art and architecture and contemporary practice. A publication, including the proceedings of the conference and a catalogue of the exhibited works, edited by Dr Sagona, is also being published.
The project is part-financed by Measure 3 of the GAGF LEADER Programme.
The exhibition will remain open until Sunday, May 22. Opening hours are Monday to Friday between 5.30 and 8pm; Saturday from 10am to 7pm and Sundays between 9am and 1pm.